diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index ed93b7cd..ae3097b2 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -285,7 +285,18 @@ Since version 2.0, the following functions are also available in the ``xdist`` m
         """
 
     def is_xdist_master(request_or_session) -> bool:
-        """Return `True` if this is the xdist master, `False` otherwise
+        """Return `True` if this is the xdist controller, `False` otherwise
+
+        Note: this method also returns `False` when distribution has not been
+        activated at all.
+
+        deprecated alias for is_xdist_controller
+
+        :param request_or_session: the `pytest` `request` or `session` object
+        """
+
+     def is_xdist_controller(request_or_session) -> bool:
+        """Return `True` if this is the xdist controller, `False` otherwise
 
         Note: this method also returns `False` when distribution has not been
         activated at all.
@@ -295,7 +306,7 @@ Since version 2.0, the following functions are also available in the ``xdist`` m
 
     def get_xdist_worker_id(request_or_session) -> str:
         """Return the id of the current worker ('gw0', 'gw1', etc) or 'master'
-        if running on the 'master' node.
+        if running on the controller node.
 
         If not distributing tests (for example passing `-n0` or not passing `-n` at all) also return 'master'.
 
diff --git a/changelog/592.trivial.rst b/changelog/592.trivial.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a240729e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/592.trivial.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Replace master with controller where ever possible.
diff --git a/src/xdist/__init__.py b/src/xdist/__init__.py
index 83ef7762..031a3d34 100644
--- a/src/xdist/__init__.py
+++ b/src/xdist/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
-from xdist.plugin import is_xdist_worker, is_xdist_master, get_xdist_worker_id
+from xdist.plugin import (
+    is_xdist_worker,
+    is_xdist_master,
+    get_xdist_worker_id,
+    is_xdist_controller,
+)
 from xdist._version import version as __version__
 
-__all__ = ["__version__", "is_xdist_worker", "is_xdist_master", "get_xdist_worker_id"]
+__all__ = [
+    "__version__",
+    "is_xdist_worker",
+    "is_xdist_master",
+    "is_xdist_controller",
+    "get_xdist_worker_id",
+]
diff --git a/src/xdist/dsession.py b/src/xdist/dsession.py
index 3db8e025..ab927fa2 100644
--- a/src/xdist/dsession.py
+++ b/src/xdist/dsession.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def pytest_sessionfinish(self, session):
         self._session = None
 
     def pytest_collection(self):
-        # prohibit collection of test items in master process
+        # prohibit collection of test items in controller process
         return True
 
     @pytest.mark.trylast
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ def worker_collectionfinish(self, node, ids):
             return
         self.config.hook.pytest_xdist_node_collection_finished(node=node, ids=ids)
         # tell session which items were effectively collected otherwise
-        # the master node will finish the session with EXIT_NOTESTSCOLLECTED
+        # the controller node will finish the session with EXIT_NOTESTSCOLLECTED
         self._session.testscollected = len(ids)
         self.sched.add_node_collection(node, ids)
         if self.terminal:
diff --git a/src/xdist/newhooks.py b/src/xdist/newhooks.py
index 4ac71960..0e2efe9b 100644
--- a/src/xdist/newhooks.py
+++ b/src/xdist/newhooks.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def pytest_testnodedown(node, error):
 
 
 def pytest_xdist_node_collection_finished(node, ids):
-    """called by the master node when a node finishes collecting.
+    """called by the controller node when a worker node finishes collecting.
     """
 
 
diff --git a/src/xdist/plugin.py b/src/xdist/plugin.py
index 2d8424d9..1eba32b8 100644
--- a/src/xdist/plugin.py
+++ b/src/xdist/plugin.py
@@ -227,8 +227,8 @@ def is_xdist_worker(request_or_session) -> bool:
     return hasattr(request_or_session.config, "workerinput")
 
 
-def is_xdist_master(request_or_session) -> bool:
-    """Return `True` if this is the xdist master, `False` otherwise
+def is_xdist_controller(request_or_session) -> bool:
+    """Return `True` if this is the xdist controller, `False` otherwise
 
     Note: this method also returns `False` when distribution has not been
     activated at all.
@@ -241,9 +241,13 @@ def is_xdist_master(request_or_session) -> bool:
     )
 
 
+# ALIAS: TODO, deprecate (#592)
+is_xdist_master = is_xdist_controller
+
+
 def get_xdist_worker_id(request_or_session) -> str:
     """Return the id of the current worker ('gw0', 'gw1', etc) or 'master'
-    if running on the 'master' node.
+    if running on the controller node.
 
     If not distributing tests (for example passing `-n0` or not passing `-n` at all)
     also return 'master'.
@@ -253,6 +257,7 @@ def get_xdist_worker_id(request_or_session) -> str:
     if hasattr(request_or_session.config, "workerinput"):
         return request_or_session.config.workerinput["workerid"]
     else:
+        # TODO: remove "master", ideally for a None
         return "master"
 
 
@@ -261,6 +266,7 @@ def worker_id(request):
     """Return the id of the current worker ('gw0', 'gw1', etc) or 'master'
     if running on the master node.
     """
+    # TODO: remove "master", ideally for a None
     return get_xdist_worker_id(request)
 
 
diff --git a/src/xdist/remote.py b/src/xdist/remote.py
index 9aaf91b9..7f95b5cc 100644
--- a/src/xdist/remote.py
+++ b/src/xdist/remote.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def pytest_runtest_logreport(self, report):
         self.sendevent("testreport", data=data)
 
     def pytest_collectreport(self, report):
-        # send only reports that have not passed to master as optimization (#330)
+        # send only reports that have not passed to controller as optimization (#330)
         if not report.passed:
             data = self.config.hook.pytest_report_to_serializable(
                 config=self.config, report=report
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def serialize_warning_message(warning_message):
         message_class_name = type(warning_message.message).__name__
         message_str = str(warning_message.message)
         # check now if we can serialize the warning arguments (#349)
-        # if not, we will just use the exception message on the master node
+        # if not, we will just use the exception message on the controller node
         try:
             dumps(warning_message.message.args)
         except DumpError:
diff --git a/testing/acceptance_test.py b/testing/acceptance_test.py
index c273bfac..382c9381 100644
--- a/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ def pytest_load_initial_conftests(early_config):
     def test_data_exchange(self, testdir):
         testdir.makeconftest(
             """
-            # This hook only called on master.
+            # This hook only called on the controlling process.
             def pytest_configure_node(node):
                 node.workerinput['a'] = 42
                 node.workerinput['b'] = 7
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
                     r = a + b
                     config.workeroutput['r'] = r
 
-            # This hook only called on master.
+            # This hook only called on the controlling process.
             def pytest_testnodedown(node, error):
                 node.config.calc_result = node.workeroutput['r']
 
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ def pytest_sessionfinish(session):
                 # on the worker
                 if hasattr(session.config, 'workeroutput'):
                     session.config.workeroutput['s2'] = 42
-            # on the master
+            # on the controller
             def pytest_testnodedown(node, error):
                 assert node.workeroutput['s2'] == 42
                 print ("s2call-finished")
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ def pytest_sessionfinish(session):
             if hasattr(session.config, 'workerinput'):
                 name = "worker"
             else:
-                name = "master"
+                name = "controller"
             with open(name, "w") as f:
                 f.write("xy")
             # let's fail on the worker
@@ -524,12 +524,12 @@ def test_hello():
     d = result.parseoutcomes()
     assert d["passed"] == 1
     assert testdir.tmpdir.join("worker").check()
-    assert testdir.tmpdir.join("master").check()
+    assert testdir.tmpdir.join("controller").check()
 
 
 def test_session_testscollected(testdir):
     """
-    Make sure master node is updating the session object with the number
+    Make sure controller node is updating the session object with the number
     of tests collected from the workers.
     """
     testdir.makepyfile(
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ def test_hello(myarg):
 
 
 def test_config_initialization(testdir, monkeypatch, pytestconfig):
-    """Ensure workers and master are initialized consistently. Integration test for #445"""
+    """Ensure workers and controller are initialized consistently. Integration test for #445"""
     testdir.makepyfile(
         **{
             "dir_a/test_foo.py": """
@@ -1138,7 +1138,7 @@ def test_aaa1(crasher):
     assert "INTERNALERROR" not in result.stderr.str()
 
 
-def test_internal_errors_propagate_to_master(testdir):
+def test_internal_errors_propagate_to_controller(testdir):
     testdir.makeconftest(
         """
         def pytest_collection_modifyitems():
@@ -1408,12 +1408,18 @@ def test_is_xdist_worker(self, fake_request):
         del fake_request.config.workerinput
         assert not xdist.is_xdist_worker(fake_request)
 
-    def test_is_xdist_master(self, fake_request):
+    def test_is_xdist_controller(self, fake_request):
+
         assert not xdist.is_xdist_master(fake_request)
+        assert not xdist.is_xdist_controller(fake_request)
+
         del fake_request.config.workerinput
         assert xdist.is_xdist_master(fake_request)
+        assert xdist.is_xdist_controller(fake_request)
+
         fake_request.config.option.dist = "no"
         assert not xdist.is_xdist_master(fake_request)
+        assert not xdist.is_xdist_controller(fake_request)
 
     def test_get_xdist_worker_id(self, fake_request):
         assert xdist.get_xdist_worker_id(fake_request) == "gw5"